If there was a truly good and godly god, it would be clear. No nagging doubts, no endless arguments. It would be clear and obvious to all. The fact that it isn't may not necessarily mean there isn't a god out there. But it sure makes it clear that there is something seriously wrong with the picture.

But that's their "out", isn't it?

The whole of the new testament rams home the notion of faith in what can't be seen. It's such a common theme with the gospels of MMLJ. Have faith and you can move mountain, believe I am who I say I am, etc... With this repetitiveness, it's almost as though the fundie expects things NOT to be clear because they have to have faith to gain their heavenly riches.

I can see where they are coming from - but again, it's shading my point. A super-loving godly god, worthy of being called GOD, would not require any apologetics, any mystery, any twisty thinking. It would just be, end of.

I can see what Paul was heading towards in his point about the obviousness of god in everything there is, and I absolutely agree: we SHOULD be able to see god, in everything, all the time, without thinking or faith or "yes with an if or no with a but", as the good Rev.Lovejoy said. But the trouble is that we do not. No "proper" god is as clearly evident in everything as it ought to be.

Like....imagine the best interior designer in the world. If you walked into one of his houses, you'd see how every single thing fit together. Every piece would match, every colour perfectly complement it all. There would be no jarring colours, no unfinished bits, no live wires hanging out - it would all be 100% right. Not the best analogy, but I hope its clear what I mean.

God doesn't need apologetics; religion does.

Maybe if we all followed the path of LOVE the smoke would clear. Get rid of religion not the "magic" and all the confusion that comes with it. You know wipe the slate clean use the knowledge we have accumulated over time and see where it takes us. Out with the old in with the new.

Our existence is magical. It is a gift. Even with all the crap we put on each other, to see a sunrise or set, to hold a newborn baby in your arms, to see a drug addict recover, medical breakthroughs that save lives. The day we stop using fossil fuels. There is a lot to be thankful for and a lot we can improve if we just Love one another. I believe in Love.

When I look around the universe, this planet, it does fit together amazingly. Love is amazing!!! The rest is up to us.